I handled a Freedom Arms last night(question??)

[Jerry Lester]

That's got to be just about the nicest revolver I've ever had in my hands! This one is built on the medium frame(he said), and was chambered in 45 long colt. It's a 5 shot.

Does Freedom Arms chamber that same revolver(medium frame) in 32 H&R magnum? If so, I guess I know what I'll be saving up for this coming year!

[targetshootr]

Yep.

.45 Colt (5 shot) 4¼", 5½", 7½"   $1718.00
.44 Special (5shot) 4¼", 5½", 7½"  $1718.00
.41 Remington Magnum (5 shot) 4¼", 5½", 7½"   $1718.00
.357 Magnum (6 shot) 4¼", 5½", 7½"   $1718.00
.32 H&R Magnum (6 shot) 4¼", 5½", 7½", 10" New $1718.00
.22 Long Rifle with Sporting Chambers (6 shot) 4¼", 5½", 7½",10"            $1784.00
.17 HMR (6 shot) 5½", 7½", 10" New $1784.00

[Greybeard]

And they make the with fixed or adjustable sights as you wish.

[mr.frosty]

i know its a personal preference which is better fixed or adjustable sights
 on the fa83?

[Greybeard]

Adjustable in my opinion. More versatile. With fixed what you got is all you get. You gotta find a single load that hits where sights point. With adjustable you find the load you like and adjust sights to it.

[Glanceblamm]

Targetshootr's price listings.....

Would these be retail? I thought 1k give or take 100 would cover a FA

[Lloyd Smale]

My dream Fa would be a fix sighte oct barrel .44 spec 4 incher. Most of my favorite guns are vaqueros or customs based on them. Just something to me about there lines! Sighting them in and working up loads for them is half the fun.

Adjustable in my opinion. More versatile. With fixed what you got is all you get. You gotta find a single load that hits where sights point. With adjustable you find the load you like and adjust sights to it.

[Graybeard]

Targetshootr's price listings.....

Would these be retail? I thought 1k give or take 100 would cover a FA

Not hardly. You might find some used ones in that price range but for sure nothing new. Now for sure some dealers will sell them at under the MSRP but not that much under. Freedom gets more money for them than that from the dealer/wholesaler/jobber/whoever that buys them direct.

When I finish the review of the FA83 I have in hand now and Bob at FA prices it to me the price will be as used "writer's sample" gun price and even it will exceed $1100 for sure. By how much I don't know yet but it will exceed that price for sure.

[22popnsplat]

The freedom arms model 83 with fixed sights , It comes with a very tall front sight so that once you find the load you like you can adjust accordingly . Mine shot about 12 inches low and at that time I contacted Freedom arms only to find it normal .
I bought my 83 feild grade fixed sights with a 4 3/4 inch barrel as NIB , on inspection I could find no evidence of it ever being fired or cycled , the sights were unmolested .  I paid $850 + overnight freight off Guns America for it so you can get a bargin if you keep you eyes open .
With fixed sights they are very rugged but it can be a sacrifice if you like to play with a lot of different loads , It is possible to come up with a light bullet at low velocity that will hit to the same poa at a given range as a load that uses a faster heavy bullet , You now have a plinking and a hunting load .

[myronman3]

you have to prow quite a while to find one below 1000, and then it will be a used model.  now to get in the f.a. ownership door, i dont think that is unreasonable.   besides, the way they build them, they are still fantastic if they havent been abused.  and you would have to ABUSE them.  

  i prowled for a long time and never saw one under 1100 used, then my rugers gave me problems and low and behold, i found a f.a. 83 44 mag for 900.  all said and done i have 945 in it and still feel like i got a deal.   for if you find one that cheap,  jump on it.

[bpjon]

I bought a 7.5" Field Grade 454 for $900.  It only took ten years of going to every gun show in my state to find it, lol.  It was well worth the wait, though.  I can assure you, it will not take ten years before I buy another one.

[targetshootr]

I got a really good deal on my 83 but I don't see many 97s for sale in the large calibers. Guess it'll be a few years before they start showing up in numbers. The couple of good deals I have seen I missed because someone maxed out my credit card buying other guns. One was a nice 5 1/2" 45 colt for $900. Sheesh.

[ratgunner]

HELLO , Hey Jerry Lester I know your a big .357 fan so am I . I'm using a gp 6" & 158 HTP HOLLOW POINTS I don't reload & thats the best I could find at the local shop. I didn't get a shot this year but had fun. how did you do? :-)

[Jerry Lester]

HELLO , Hey Jerry Lester I know your a big .357 fan so am I . I'm using a gp 6" & 158 HTP HOLLOW POINTS I don't reload & thats the best I could find at the local shop. I didn't get a shot this year but had fun. how did you do? :-)

Well ratgunner, I had a rather comical season myself. I spent nearly all of it trying to get a kill on video with my Blackhawk. All I can say is my hat's off to the guys who make hunting videos for a living! LOL!

I did manage to get me blowing the bark off a Poplar tree, while in the proccess of arguing with my uncle about why I was waiting so long to take a shot. He got me so tore up that I pulled the shot, and clipped the tree that a nice little buck was peeking out from behind. My uncle started whispering that "I better take the shot" when the deer was still a good 80 yards out. He kept on till it was within about 30, and had already heard us arguing. That's what I get for using a diehard rifle/scope hunter for my camera man, on a handgun hunt! LOL!

I tried to go it alone, and use a tri-pod, but that was miserable. I ended up shooting a meat deer with my 357 rifle, and being done with it.

Next year, I'm gonna put a little more advance planning into it, and hopefully, I'll get it all on tape as planned. I'd really love to tape a stalk, but I've only got one friend who's up to the task(without blowing the stalk), and it'd have to be worked around his schedual.

PS. Be carefull using those 158g HPs on deer at factory velocities. If you hit a shoulder going in, there's a good chance it'll stop short of the vitals.

[Dusty Miller]

Hey Jerry, let me warn you that handling an FA firearm is kinda like fondling the bosom of a sweet young thing, you just ain't gonna be satisfied until you have it all!

[Jerry Lester]

Yeah Dusty, I know! LOL!

I'm already trying to figure out how to come up with the money in some kind of quick way. I'm done working for the year, and I can't really chuck out the funds from my winter money right now because I may just need it before we start up again in the spring.

I'll just about garrantee you that I'll have one before next fall though!

[Dusty Miller]

The best way to come up with some money in a quick way is to to take your OTHER gun to the bank and take out a loan!!

[SingleFan]

Jerry,

I was wondering when you would see the light on the FA midframes.  They are sweet.

As for price - most of the dealers local here in PA sell them for at least a couple of hundred dollars under MSRP.  I've got a 5-1/2" 45 colt with Micarta Grips, action job, and over travel screw on order for $1580.00.  The action job, grips, & OT screw amount to an extra $180 beans.

You can by an M97 with standard grips (they are all premier grade in the mid-frame, but note that the sites are 'drift adjustable').  For a little over $1400 plus tax.

As for used, a shop I frequent seems to have them from time to time, but there are definitely more 83's on the shelf than 97's.

[Jerry Lester]

Thanks for the replies, and comments fellows.

Now another question?

The FAs I've looked at all have a sort of "semi-Bisley" style grip frame. Can you get a grip frame on them similar to the Ruger/Colt SA style?

I can easily get used to the FA grip frame as it is, but would a whole lot rather keep with the grip I'm accustomed to already.

[targetshootr]

One of the nicest thing about the FA is the grip. Once you own one you'll probably try to figure out how to convert your Rugers and Colts to the FA style.